Weekly Column: Klinsmann, USMNT race against time & more

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The Italian Job: U.S. midfielder Michael Bradley, right, seen here playing for Chievo, is the lone American national team player in Serie A; Italy hosts the U.S. Wednesday in Genoa (AP Photo).

*Injuries threaten to derail Coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s plans to have the U.S. primed and ready for World Cup qualifying this summer; he has just three games left to prepare beginning Wednesday in Italy.

In other soccer news:
*Chivas USA fell to Sweden’s AIK Monday in Portland, where staggering numbers of Timbers fans turned out to watch a pre-season exhibition doubleheader.

Chivas USA lineup: Dan Kennedy, James Riley, John Valencia, Heath Pearce, Ante Jazic, Michael Lahoud (Laurent Courtois, 58), Alejandro Moreno (Casey Townsend, 63), Oswaldo Minda, Ryan Smith (Alan Souza, 46), Miller Bolaos (Ben Zemanski, 55), Juan Pablo Angel (Cesar Romero, 71).

Substitutes Not Used: Tim Melia, David Jr. Lopez, Rauwshan McKenzie, Scott Gordon, Jose Najera.

*It looks like the Seattle Sounders Women were always going to have the inside track to sign Diamond Bar’s Alex Morgan. Here’s why.

*In what is clearly a money-saving move, more details are emerging of the recent layoffs within Galaxy parent company Anschutz Entertianment Group and the realignment of its management structure to operate its 11 sports entities.

The No. 1 priority for the Galaxy: “dramatically” increasing season ticket sales.

“We are No. 1 in Major League Soccer with our jersey deal, with our naming-rights deal, with our sponsorships, with our premium-seating revenue,” AEG President TimLeiweke told SportsBusiness Daily. “We are No. 1 straight across the board. We are not even top three in season-ticket sales. This is all about season-ticket sales for the Galaxy.”

Leiweke said McGowan has added about 1,000 season tickets over the past month, since joining the Galaxy, to bring the club’s number to around 7,500.

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